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III-1. Pratardana, the son of Divodasa, by means of fighting and virility, verily reached the beloved abode of Indra. To him then Indra Said: Pratardana, choose a boon.
Then said Pratardana: Do you yourself choose that boon for me which you deem most beneficent for man. To him then Indra said: A superior verily chooses not for an inferior. Do you yourself choose. ‘No boon verily then is it to me’ said Pratardana. But Indra did not depart from the truth, for Indra is truth. To him then Indra said: ‘Understand me only. This indeed I deem most beneficent to man, namely that one should understand me. I slew the three-headed Tvastir; I delivered the Arunmukhas, the ascetics, to the wolves. Transgressing many compacts I killed the people of Prahlada in the sky, the Paulomas in the atmosphere, the Kalakanjas on the earth. Of me, such as I was then, not a single hair was injured.
So he knows me thus – by no deed whatever of his is his world injured, not by stealing, not by killing an embryo, not by the murder of his mother, not by the murder of his father. If he has done any evil, the dark colour departs not from his face.
III-2. Then he (Indra) said: I am the Spirit of the vital breath, the intelligent Self. As such, worship me as life, as immortality. Life is the vital breath: the vital breath is life. For as long as the vital breath remains in the body so long is there life. For indeed with the vital breath one obtains immortality in this world; with intelligence, true conception. So he who worships me as life, as immortality, reaches the full term of life in this world; he obtains immortality and indestructibility in the heavenly world.
Now, on this point some say: The vital breaths, verily, go into a unity: (otherwise) one would not be able at once to make known a name by speech, a form by the eye, a sound by ear, a thought by the mind. The vital breaths, as a unity, verily, cause to know all things here, one by one. All the vital breaths speak along with speech when it speaks. All the vital breaths see along with the eye when it sees. All the vital breaths hear along with the ear when it hears. All the vital breaths think along with the mind when it thinks. All the vital breaths breathe along with the breath when it breathes.
‘That is indeed so’, said Indra. There is however a superior excellence among the vital breaths.
III-3. One lives with speech gone, for we see the dumb.
One lives with eye gone, for we see the blind.
One lives with ear gone, for we see the deaf.
One lives with mind gone, for we see the childish.
One lives with arms cut off; One lives with legs cut off; for thus we see.
But now it is the vital breath, even the self of intelligence, that seizes hold of this body and raises it up. This, therefore, one should worship as the Uktha. This is the all-obtaining in the vital breath. As for the vital breath, verily, that is intelligence; as for the intelligence, verily that is vital breath. This is the view thereof, this is the understanding thereof.
When a person is so asleep that he sees no dream whatever, then he becomes one with that vital breath. Then speech together with all names goes to it; the eye together with all forms goes to it; the ear together with all sounds goes to it; the mind together with all thoughts goes to it. When he awakes, as from a blazing fire sparks would fly in all directions, even so from this self the vital breaths proceed to their respective stations; from the vital breaths, the gods (the senses); from the gods, the worlds. This same vital breath, the self of intelligence, seizes hold of the body and raises it up. This therefore one should worship as the Uktha. This is the all-obtaining in the vital breath.
As for the vital breath, verily that is the Self as the intelligence; as for the intelligence, that is the vital breath. This is the proof of it, the understanding of it.
When a weak person is about to die, comes to such weakness that he falls into a stupor, they say of him, ‘His thoughts have departed; he hears not; he speaks not with speech; he thinks not’. Thus he becomes one with the vital breath alone. Then, speech together with all names goes to it; the eye together with all forms goes to it; the ear together with all sounds goes to it; the mind together with all thoughts goes to it.
When he departs from his body, he departs together with all these. When he awakens, as from a blazing fire sparks would fly in all directions, even so from this Self the vital breaths proceed to their respective stations; from the vital breaths the gods; from the gods the worlds.
III-4. When he departs from the body, speech pours all names into him; by speech he obtains all names. Vital breath pours all odours into him; with breath he obtains all odours. The eye pours all forms into him; with the eye he obtains all forms. The ear pours all sounds into him; with the ear he obtains all sounds. The mind pours all thoughts into him. With the mind he obtains all thoughts. This is the all-obtaining in the vital breath.
As for the vital breath, verily that is the intelligence. As for the intelligence, verily that is the vital breath; for, together, these two dwell in this body; together the two depart. Now, then, we will explain how all beings become one with this intelligence.
III-5. Speech is one portion taken out of it. Name is its externally correlated object element. Breath is one portion taken out of it. Odour is its externally correlated object element. The eye is one portion taken out of it. Form is its externally correlated object element. The ear is one portion taken out of it. Sound is its externally correlated object element. The tongue is one portion taken out of it. Taste of food is its externally correlated object element. The two hands are one portion taken out of it. Work is their externally correlated object element. The body is one portion taken out of it. Pleasure and pain is its externally correlated object element. The generative organ is one portion taken out of it. Bliss, delight and procreation are its externally correlated object element. The two feet are one portion taken out of it. Goings are their externally correlated object element. The mind is one portion taken out of it. Thoughts and desires are its externally correlated object element.
III-6. With speech, mounted on by intelligence, one obtains all names.
With the vital breath, mounted on by intelligence, one obtains all odours.
With the eye, mounted on by intelligence, one obtains all forms.
With the ear, mounted on by intelligence, one obtains all sounds.
With the tongue, mounted on by intelligence, one obtains all tastes.
With the hands, mounted on by intelligence, one obtains all works.
With the body, mounted on by intelligence, one obtains pleasure and pain.
With the generative organ, mounted on by intelligence, one obtains bliss, delight and procreation.
With the feet, mounted on by intelligence, one obtains all goings.
With the mind, mounted on by intelligence, one obtains all thoughts, what is to be understood by thought and desire.
III-7. For verily without intelligence speech would not make any name whatsoever known.
‘My mind was elsewhere’ one says, ‘I did not cognise that name’.
For verily without intelligence breath would not make any odour whatsoever known.
‘My mind was elsewhere’ one says, ‘I did not cognise that odour’.
For verily without intelligence the eye would not make any form whatsoever known.
‘My mind was elsewhere’ one says, ‘I did not cognise that form’.
For verily without intelligence the ear would not make any sound whatsoever known.
‘My mind was elsewhere’ one says, ‘I did not cognise the sound’.
For verily without intelligence the tongue would not make any taste of food whatsoever known. ‘My mind was elsewhere’ one says, ‘I did not cognise that taste of food’.
For verily without intelligence the two hands would not make any action whatsoever known. ‘My mind was elsewhere’ one says, ‘I did not cognise that action’.
For verily without intelligence the body would not make known any pleasure or pain whatsoever. ‘My mind was elsewhere’ one says, ‘I did not cognise that pleasure and pain’.
For verily without intelligence the generative organ would not make known any bliss, delight and procreation whatsoever. ‘My mind was elsewhere’ one says, ‘I did not cognise that bliss, delight and procreation’.
For verily without intelligence the two feet would not make known any going whatsoever. ‘My mind was elsewhere’ one says, ‘I did not cognise that going’.
For verily without intelligence no thought whatever would be effected, nothing cognisable would be cognized.
III-8. One has to win the pure knowledge of the unity of Brahman and Atman.
Speech is not what one should seek to know; one should know the speaker.
Smell is not what one should seek to know; one should know the smeller.
Form is not what one should seek to know; one should know the seer.
Sound is not what one should seek to know; one should know the hearer.
Taste of food is not what one should seek to know; one should know the knower of the taste of food.
Deed is not what one should seek to know; one should know the doer.
Pleasure and pain are not what one should seek to know; one should know the discerner of pleasure and pain.
Bliss, delight and procreation are not what one should seek to know; one should know the discerner of bliss, delight and procreation.
Going is not what one should seek to know; one should know the goer.
Mind is not what one should seek to know; one should know the thinker.
These ten essential elements, verily, are with reference to intelligence. These ten intelligential elements are with reference to existence. Verily if there were no elements of existence, there would be no elements of intelligence. Verily if there were no elements of intelligence, there would be no elements of existence. Truly from either alone, no form whatever would be possible.
And this (the Self of intelligence) is not diverse. But as of a chariot, the felly is fixed on the spokes and the spokes are fixed on the hub, even so these elements of existence are fixed on the elements of intelligence; the elements of intelligence are fixed on the vital breath.
This vital breath, truly, is the Self of intelligence: (it is) bliss, ageless, immortal. He does not become greater with good action nor indeed lesser with bad action. This one truly indeed causes him whom he wishes to lead up from this world to perform good action. This one also indeed causes him whom he wishes to lead downwards to perform bad action. He is the protector of the world; he is the sovereign of the world; he is the Lord of all. ‘He is myself’ – this one should know. ‘He is my Self’ – This one should know.

IV-1. Now then verily there was Gargya Balaki, a famed Vedic scholar. He dwelt among the Ushinaras, the Satvans and the Matsyas, among the Kurus and the Panchalas, among the Kashis and the Videhas. Having come to Ajatasatru of Kashi, he said, ‘Let me declare Brahman to you’. To him then Ajatasatru said: ‘A thousand (cows) we give to you’. At such a word as this, verily indeed people would run together, crying ‘A Janaka ! A Janaka !’
IV-2. In the sun the great, in the moon the food, in the lightning truth, in thunder sound, in wind Indra Vaikuntha, in space the plenum, in fire the Vanquisher, in water brilliance – thus with reference to the divinities. Now, with reference to the self; in the mirror the reflection; in the shadow the double, in the echo life, in sound death, in sleep Yama (the Lord of Death), in the body Prajapati, in the right eye speech, in the left eye truth.
IV-3. Then said Balaki: Him who is this person in the sun, on him I indeed meditate. To him Ajatasatru said: Make me not to converse on him ! As the great, the white-robed, the Supreme, the head of all beings – thus verily do I meditate on him. He who meditates on him thus becomes indeed the supreme, the head of all beings.
IV-4. Then said Balaki: ‘him who is the person in the moon, on him indeed do I meditate’. To him then Ajatasatru said: Make me not to converse on him ! I meditate on him asking Soma, as the self of food. He who meditates on him thus becomes indeed the self of food.
IV-5. Then said Balaki: ‘I meditate on the person, indeed, who is the person in the lightning’. To him then Ajatasatru said: Make me not to converse on him ! I meditate on him as the self of truth. He who meditates on him thus becomes indeed the self of truth (of brilliance).
IV-6. Then said Balaki: I meditate on the person in the Thunder’. To him then Ajatasatru said: Make me not to converse on him ! I meditate on him as the self of sound. He who meditates on him thus becomes indeed the self of sound.
IV-7. Then said Balaki: I meditate on the person in wind’. To him then Ajatasatru said: Make me not to converse on him ! I meditate on him as Indra Vaikuntha or as the unconquered army. He who meditates on him thus becomes indeed the triumphant, the unconquerable, a conqueror of adversaries.
IV-8. Then said Balaki: I meditate on the person in space’. To him then Ajatasatru said: Make me not to converse on him ! I meditate on him as the full moon-active Brahman. He who meditates on him thus becomes filled with offspring, cattle, fame, the radiance of sanctity and the heavenly world, he reaches the full term of life.
IV-9. Then said Balaki: I meditate on the person in fire’. To him then Ajatasatru said: Make me not to converse on him ! I meditate on him as the Vanquisher. He who meditates on him thus become verily a vanquisher of others.
IV-10. Then said Balaki: I meditate on the person in water’. To him then Ajatasatru said: Make me not to converse on him ! I meditate on him as the Self of Brilliance of name. Thus with reference to the divinities..
IV-11. Now, with reference to self.
Then said Balaki: I meditate indeed on the person in the mirror’. To him Ajatasatru said: Make me not to converse on him ! I meditate on him as (the reflected) likeness. He, then, who meditates on him thus, a very likeness of him is born in his offspring, not an unlikeness.
IV-12. Then said Balaki: I meditate indeed on the person in the shadow’. To him Ajatasatru said: Make me not to converse on him ! I meditate on him as the inseparable Double. He, then, who meditates on him thus obtains from his second and becomes possessed of his double.
IV-13. Then said Balaki: I meditate indeed on the person in the echo’. To him Ajatasatru said: Make me not to converse on him ! I meditate on him as life. He, then, who meditates on him thus passes not into unconsciousness before his time.
IV-14. Then said Balaki: I meditate indeed on the person in sound’. To him Ajatasatru said: Make me not to converse on him ! I meditate on him as Death. He, then, who meditates on him thus does not die before his time.
IV-15. Then said Balaki: I meditate indeed on the person who, while asleep, moves about in dream’. To him Ajatasatru said: Make me not to converse on him ! I meditate on him as King Yama ! He, then, who meditates on him thus, to his supremacy everything here is subdued.
IV-16. Then said Balaki: I meditate on the person who is in this body’. To him Ajatasatru said: Make me not to converse on him ! I meditate on him as Prajapati. He then who meditates on him thus is augmented with offspring, cattle, fame, the lustre of sanctity, the heavenly world; he reaches the full term of life.
IV-17. Then said Balaki: I meditate on the person in the right eye’. To him Ajatasatru said: Make me not to converse on him ! I meditate on him as the self of speech, the self of fire, the self of light. He then who meditates on him thus becomes the self of all these.
IV-18. Then said Balaki: I meditate on the person in the left eye’. To him Ajatasatru said: Make me not to converse on him ! I meditate on him as the self of truth, the self of lightning, the self of brightness. He then who meditates on him thus becomes the self of all these.
IV-19. Thereupon Balaki was silent. To him then Ajatasatru said: So much only Balaki ? ‘So much only’ replied Balaki. To him, then, Ajatasatru said: In vain, indeed, did you make to converse saying ‘Let me declare Brahman to you’. He, indeed. Balaki, who is the maker of these persons, of whom verily this is the work, he alone is to be known.
Thereupon Balaki, fuel in hand, approached saying, ‘Receive me as a pupil’. To him then Ajatasatru said: ‘This I deem a form (of conduct) contrary to nature that a Kshatriya should receive a Brahmana as pupil. (But come). I shall make you understand’. Then taking him by the hand, he went forth. The two then came upon a person asleep. The Ajatasatru called him (saying) ‘O Great, White-robed King, Soma !’ But he just lay silent. Then he pushed him with a stick. He got up at once. To him then Ajatasatru said: Where in this case, O Balaki, has this person lain ? What has become of him here ? Whence has he returned here ?
Thereupon Balaki understood not. To him then Ajatasatru said: Where in this case, O Balaki has this person lain, what has become of him here, whence he has returned here as I asked is the arteries of a person (of the heart) called Hita (the beneficent). From the heart they spread forth to the pericardium. Now they are as minute as a hair divided a thousand-fold. They consist of a minute essence, reddish-brown, white, black, yellow and red. In these one remains while asleep; he sees no dream whatsoever.
IV-20. Then he becomes unitary in this vital breath. Then speech together with all names goes to it; the eye together with all forms goes to it; the ear together with all sounds goes to it; the mind together with all thoughts goes to it.
When he awakes, as from a blazing fire sparks proceed in all directions, even so from this Self the vital breaths proceed to their respective stations; from the vital breaths, the gods (the sense faculties); from the sense faculties the worlds. This very vital breath, even this Self of intelligence, has entered this bodily self up to the hair and the fingernail. Just as a razor might be hidden in a razor-case or as fire in the fireplace, even so this self of intelligence has entered this bodily self upto the very hairs and nails. On that self these other selves depend as upon a chief his own (men) or as his own (men) are of service to a chief, even so these other selves are of service to that self of (intelligence). Verily as long as Indra did not understand this Self, so long the Asuras overcame him. When he understood this, striking down and conquering the Asuras, he attained pre-eminence among all gods and all beings, sovereignty and overlordship.
Likewise also he who knows this, striking off all evils, attains pre-eminence, sovereignty and overlordship over all beings – he who knows this, yea, he who knows this.

Om ! May my speech be based on (i.e. accord with) the mind;
May my mind be based on speech.
O Self-effulgent One, reveal Thyself to me.
May you both (speech and mind) be the carriers of the Veda to me.
May not all that I have heard depart from me.
I shall join together (i.e. obliterate the difference of) day
And night through this study.
I shall utter what is verbally true;
I shall utter what is mentally true.
May that (Brahman) protect me;
May That protect the speaker (i.e. the teacher), may That protect me;
May that protect the speaker – may That protect the speaker.
Om ! Let there be Peace in me !
Let there be Peace in my environment !
Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !

Here ends the Kaushitaki-Brahmana Upanishad, as contained in the Rig-Veda.

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